An email sent to students at the University of Chicago indicates that statistics professors have urged their students to participate in a protest against the Trump administration after they cancelled their midterm exams.
Yali Amit, teaching machine learning and large data analytics, informed students that the midterm would be scrapped and instead be treated as homework assignments. In the email, he encouraged them to join a national protest against President Donald Trump.
“It’s essential to stand up against this dangerous authoritarian regime!”
The email exemplifies Amit’s historical stance against certain political issues—including his opposition to Israel—and reflects his intent to involve students in activism.
“The country is in crisis. The Trump administration is imprisoning and threatening people in the streets, deporting them to distant prisons, and expelling those who advocate for Palestinians,” he expressed, emphasizing the urgency of the situation. He also mentioned that numerous protests were occurring across the nation as part of a “Day of Action.” Consequently, he decided to cancel the midterm, hoping students would join the demonstrations in Chicago, reinforcing the need to oppose what he called a “dangerous authoritarian regime.”
Amit has not responded to requests for comments. Meanwhile, a spokesperson from the university stated that Amit’s remarks were inappropriate but did not specify if any disciplinary actions would follow.
Comments from students in Amit’s class to Beacon addressed their discontent. One student remarked, “It’s not right for professors to cancel exams and push students toward political protests. It feels like he assumes that all of us share his political views. What if some students would prefer to focus on their classes rather than join in?”
In response to university policies, the Trump administration has warned about potential cuts to federal funding for schools that do not address accountability for anti-Israel protests that may endanger Jewish students. As an example, the University of Chicago recently lost $6 million in federal grants.
